Palestinian Attack In Israel Part of God's Judgment, Said Recent Guest At Palin's Church

After several months of scrutinizing Barack Obama's former place of worship, reporters are now taking a close look at Alaskan churches frequented by presumptive Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin.

As the Huffington Post reported earlier Tuesday, Palin addressed a gathering at the Wasilla Assembly of God, asking them to pray for oil pipeline development and "God's will" in Iraq. Meanwhile, the Boston Herald and Newsweek have both identified Wasilla Bible Church as the Alaska Governor's most recent church. And it was at that Bible Church where a recent guest described a Palestinian attack on Israeli citizens as part of God's judgment coming to pass on Earth -- an analysis likely troubling both to Jews, as well as to mainstream foreign policy analysts.

Describing a trip by his son to Jerusalem, Jews for Jesus founder David Brickner described the a July Palestinian bulldozer attack against Israeli civilians as part of God's "judgment."

That speech, from August 17, is posted on the church's website, along with all other recent addresses delivered to the congregation.

In a talk entitled "The Jerusalem Dilemma," Brickner also went on to describe all of the problems in the Middle East as related to Jerusalem. "But what we see in Israel, the conflict that is spilled through the Middle East, really which is all about Jerusalem, is an ongoing reflection of the fact that there is judgment," Brickner told Palin's church, adding: "Judgment is very real and we see it played out on the pages of the newspapers and on the television. It's very real. When Isaac [Brickner's son] was in Jerusalem he was there to witness some of that judgment, some of that conflict, when a Palestinian from East Jerusalem took a bulldozer and went plowing through a score of cars, killing numbers of people. Judgment -- you can't miss it."

Listen to Brickner here.

Brickner's analysis tracks with various other strains of evangelist Christian eschatology, but finds decidedly less favor in foreign policy circles. With Gov. Palin's views on foreign policy mostly unknown, and the McCain campaign thus far ill disposed to the idea of making her available to the national press, it's unclear how much stock she personally puts in Brickner's theory. An email to the McCain campaign asking for clarification was not immediately returned.

Comments

[MuseScavenger]

Wow! Cool! They can really read the mind of God? Where can I join up? Is there Kool-aid?

[janicegwashington]

Let's see if CNN runs that tape over and over and over again. Sound familiar?

[cruisepuppy7452a]

To the wackadoos who think Everything is God's Will? Let me sell you some more snake oil, may I? God has NOthing to do with what happens in this world. We make our own enemies, create our own problems, pay for crimes we commit. When you see our president and his cabinet lying to you, covering up thier crimes, cheating the American people and robbing us blind? That is not God's will. Hello. People who refuse to understand the fundementals of life, cling to these false notions generated by greedy bastards feeding off of the public's fears and worries. Instead of opening a book, reading a news paper, looking at alternative reports not generated by those ownded by religious groups, they choose to only read the bible and take it word for word. Hello. Look, its not the last word. Its one opinion. This is why politics and relgion should not mix, or be associated with the other. Look outside of the box will ya?

[Celliott]

I agree with Bradams. It would not be much of a purpose for democrats to infer that Palin and her husband practice the rhetoric of others just by association. But, I must say there is definitely a double standard. Barack has been labled a muslim ( as if anything is wrong with this religion), been called unpatriotic, exotic, not american ,etc and others have tried to link him to have espoused the beliefs of the likes of Ayres, etc.

I'm just wondering if any of the Palin stories will get the same level of scrunity as with Barack. No, it will not and the republicans will blame barack and others for the information that McCain did not seek out regarding his candidate. Also, I bet a lot of people in white america will cut Sarah a break, unlike what they''ve done for Barack. This is still a racist country!

[goofy2]

Who gives a rip what a guest speaker says? Only those prone to guilt by association. That's a right wing trick.

[MadeinAmericaProud]

I am standing up for pastor wright, because even though I personally do not know him, When you read the Bible stories in todays time, When JESUS was on earth and his power and ability was I am sure more than the average man in that time. Therefore, JESUS saying and his action were different.

This election season, Rev Wright only talked. On youtube, a company has made millions of $$ from several manipulated, extremely deceptive, malicious and slander by putting together several sermon DVD to destroy one of the church members.

When I first start reading the bible, I though the stories/scriptures were like soap operas and, made up just cannot be real.

I am now in my 60s, I have lived long enough to say nothing has changed with people. America do the same things the Bible stories about. We teach the next generation lies, they don't know the truth so they repeat the same mistakes, of mob mentality kill kill or current time bomb, bomb, bomb. I now understand REV. with the river of blood being so high of all the people we have killed over the years. we added to it.

[CaptainStormfield]

Religion is the Oxy-Contin of the Masses....

[Christian]

I don't think is that toxic to most people, it's a minority that are this flaky. Believing in God, most of the world does, but most people in the world put their religion in perspective. They live with the basics like live and let live, help they brother, do unto others as you would want done to you, and try to keep black marks off their soul just in case their right about an after life. But dogma, live life by a doctrine of religious faith, I'd give it 20-25% of the population that does if you consider the Bell Curve of statistics. Maybe I'm wrong, there were a lot of people who gave us George.

[NTO08]

Absolutely...from Reverend Wright's crazy proclamations and Press Club minstrel show, to this church's nutty congregants, as well as loons like Rev. Phelps and the like, religion is more of a problem than a help in this world.

[VoteDem2008]

I have to say to you all ....AMEN...I am sick to death of religion being such a big part of our politics today and it sounds like I'm not the only one...I am a Christian but I do not blame God for every bad thing that happens in the world...men and women do make the decisions that result in good or evil in this world...didn't God give us free will ? The failure is all of ours but I feel this year our country has a real chance to change it's direction and I hope we take full advantage of it by voting .

[Mildmannered]

This is about as relevant to Palin as what Rev. Wright has said is to Obama. That is, not relevant.

[lornejl]

Fas cism.

[UpstateNYer]

You fail to appreciate what fascism is.

Don't throw words out there with a hit-and-run attitude if you don't understand what they mean.

[pkohan]

Joe Lieberman - This must make you so proud of your maverick runnign buddy!

[darthdarcy]

This is apparently one whacked out Church she belongs to, why isn't the Media covering this like they did Rev. Wright..?

Racism perhaps..?

[Truthosaurus]

In contrast to the non-whacked out churches where members talk to invisible spirits and hear voices in their heads? Most churches are whacked out - the members just don't know it. Get enough people believing some nonsense and they think it is normal.

[Coinyer101]

i dont like religion in politics.

[Meggie]

I'd say that since she sat there and never left, she must agree with these views. It's clear that she sought out this type of talk and found something she could agree with.
Now, will those in the Florida and NY Jewish community be comfortable with her? They must acknowledge how close she will be to the presidency as Mcc is old and cancerous.
She may instigate trouble between Isrealis and Palestinians if the conservatives who are just drooling all over her want her to do that.

[docallen001]

The rightys set the criteria for judgement of religion and a person's pastor (they are good at judging others). If you don't leave your church, you agree with everything that is said. But I am sure that the Repub talking points will justify a different set of criteria for Palin.

[Adrienne Williams - Huffpost Blogger]

Well my step-mother whos is Jewish won't be voting for this team I'm sure.... so sad.

[RFBorjal]

Why sad? You should be happy that your step-mom won't be voting for "this team" that will be a disaster to the country if it wins.